Cases more complex than rules

Affordable housing relies on government subsidies to maintain low rents or low prices. The policy aims at using taxpayers' money to help those on low incomes get a place to live. Therefore those who get a permit to reside in them are breaking the law when they rent them out and such deeds should be punished.

Changsha Evening News, Aug 26

Only those with low incomes should enjoy affordable housing, but their incomes might change over time so a dynamic mechanism that includes both entry and exit is needed to regulate affordable housing. That is also the experience of many developed countries. China issued a regulation concerning this in 2005, but without much effect because it is not a national law passed by the National People's Congress. More legislative work is necessary so that there is a dynamic mechanism that functions well and ensures that only those who need affordable housing get it.